Seal-lock



D. FBRRI'S.

, (Model.)

SEAL L-oGK.

No. 349,702. Patentedsepi-,Q 2,8', 1886.`

` Inh/ENTER UNITED. .STATEs e PATENT OFFICE,

DANIEL FERRIS, OF BOSTON, MASSACHUSETTS.

SEAL-LOCK.

SPECIFICATION forming part oi" Letters Patent No.'349,'7`02, dated September 28, 1886.

Application filed July 1, 1886. Serial No. 206,881.

Io which- Figure I' is a perspective view illustrating.

my improved seal-lock applied to the doorframe of a freight-car. Fig. 2 is avertical section through the same. Fig. Sis a similar sec- -tion with the parts in a different position. Fig.A 4 is a perspective view of the seal-locking device removed Afrom the door-frame, its sliding jaws being represented as drawn out and open. Fig. 5 is a plan of the flexible sealand its tag. My invention relates to certain improvements in seal-locks for the'doors of freight-cars, Snc., whereby they are prevented from being tampered with or imlawfully opened without the fact being indicated 5 and my invention consists in certain novel combinations of parts and details of construction, as hereinafter set forth and specifically claimed.

In the said drawings, A represents the sliding door of a freight-car, to which is secured the hasp B, the eye or slot a, at the free end of which fits, as usual, over the outwardly-proj ecting end of the eyebolt O, which passes through the stile b ofthe door-frame D, and is seein-ed in place by a nut, c, on the inside thereof. When the car-door has been closed and the hasp B placed over the end of the eyebolt C, as seen in Figs. l and 2, a flexible seal, H, preferably composed of a strip of tin, is attached to the eyebolt C by looping it through the same and then passing the end e through a slot, j', near the opposite end of the same, as seen in Figs. l and 2. The free end e of the seal H, which is providedwith an aperture, g, is then brought up and inserted Vbetween the 4 5 jaws of an automatic locking deviee,as seen in Figs. 1 and 2, the box or easing I- of which is secured bya screw, 6, within an aperture in the door-frame D, immediately over the eyebolt O, the front of the casing I, which is open, 5o being iiush,or nearly so,with the outside ofthe door-frame.

Vitliin the hollow casing I, which is of the (Model.)

form shown in Fig. 4, is fitted a longitudinal slide, K,which`is provided at its rear end with an offset or shoulder, h, which, when the slide is drawn out through the mouth or open front end of the casing I, comes into contact with a horizontal pin, z', which forms a stop to limit its outward movement.

To the upper side of the slide K, near its 6o front end, is hinged, at Z, a heavy piece, m, a pair of jaws being thus formed, the outer end,

P, of the slide K forming the stationaryl jaw and the piece m the movable jaw, the former being provided with an inwardly-inclined pin, 5 5 q, which tits into a recess or aperture, i, in the upper jaw, m, when the latter drops down. The upper side of the jaw m is inclined downward and inward, to enable it to be raised without drawing the slide outl as far as would 0th- 7o erwise be required, the'upper surface, 12, of

VV the interiorof the casingI being correspondingly beveled or inclined, as seen in Figs. 2 and i To the upper portion of the casing I is pivoted, at s, a heavy dog or pawl, L, the shoulder t of which engages the shoulder h vof the slide K when the latter is pnshedin, thuskpreventing it from being drawn out until the pawl is raised from the inside of the ear; and it will So be obvious that the inward and downward bevel or inclination of the surface 12 of the interior of the easing I will prevent the pawl L from being tampered with and raised bythe introduction from the outside of a thin strip S5 of metal between the surface 12 and the upper side of the jaw m, as the end of a strip so introduced would be carrieddownwardin suoli a manner as to prevent it from acting upon the pawl. 9c

Although the pawl L is sufficiently heavy to descend by its own gravity, I prefer to employ a spring, w, which bears upon the said pawl and renders its action certain, while it also prevents any possibility of `thepawlbeing thrown up out of engagementwith the slide K by the concussion of thel carwhil'e in motion. f

At the upper front corner of the jaw mis a projection, e', which serves as a handle for Ico drawing out theslide K when the pawl L is raised, after which the jaw m is lifted into the position seen in Figs. 3 and 4, and held by the hand,when the free end c ofthe seal,previously attached to the eyebolt or the hasp, as described, is hooked over the pin q,which passes up through the aperture g, after which the jaw is released and descends by its own weight onto the end of the seal H, which is thus securely confined between the two jaws, which are then pushed into the casing I, as seen in Figs. l and 2, until the pawl L engages the shoulder 7L ofthe slide K, when the jaws will be locked by the contact of their front ends with the top and bottom of the hollow interior of the casing I, and it will be found impossible to remove the seal without first cutting or breaking it,which would at once indicate that the fastening had been tampered with. The lower face of the jaw m is provided with a groove or recess, 10, for the reception of the end of the seal, whereby the jaws are allowed to shut closely together when the seal is between them.

rlhe tag or enlarged end b of the seal H bears certain distinguishing marks or devices, like an ordinary soft-metal seal-for instance, letters and figures indicating the name of the railway and the station at which the car was lockedwhereby the desired protection is afforded.

After the seal H has been applied and secured as described, the ordinary pin, c', is passed through the eyebolt C to secure the hasp; or a padlock may be employed, if preferred, as the looping of the seal through the eyebolt does not interfere with the introduction of the said pin or padlock.

The casing l, when in place within the doorframe, is preferably made to incline slightly downward from rear to front, which allows any water which may enter when the car is exposed to the weather to drain ont, thus preventing the metal from becoming unduly rusted, which might interfere with the free movement of the parts.

A .fter the car has arrived at iis destination and is to be unloaded the seal H is cut or broken,

when access can be had to the interior of the car to raise the pawl L, when the slide K is free to be drawn out by taking hold ofthe project-ing end ofthe broken seal, and the jaws can be opened to remove the said end of the seal,

and are then ready to receive the end ol' a new seal, when applied as before described.

IIf preferred, or in case the hasp B should have become broken or lost, the seal H may be looped through the handle or staple d', whichA 1. In a seal-lock, a iieXible seal provided with a tag bearing a distingiilishing .mark or device adapted to be attached to the door-fastening or door by passing or looping one part of said seal through an aperture in another part of the same, as described, to leave one end free, in combination with an automatic locking device having apn or proj ecti on adapt ed to pass through an aperture in the said free end of the seal and securely hold the same, substantially in the manner and for the purpose set forth.

2. In a seal-lock, the combination, with the casing I, having a mouth or open front end, ol' a slide adapted to move longitudinally within said casing, and 4provided at its front end with a pair of jaws adapted to engage with and securely hold a flexible seal, and be kept closed upon the said seal and locked by contact with the interior of the casing when the slide is pushed into the same, and a pawl or dog adapt ed to engage with an offset or shoulder on said slide and prevent the withdrawal of the latter after being pushed into the casing to lock the jaws, substantially as set forth.

3. In a seal-lock, the combination, with the casing I, having a mouth or open front end, ol'

a slide, K, adapted to move longitudinally within said easing, and provided with a sh oulder, 71, and having at .its outer end the stationary and movable jaws p m, one provided with a pin or projection, q, and the other with an aperture, r, for the reception ofthe same, and adapted to be kept closed and locked by contact with the interior of the casing when the slide K is pushed in, a-stop for limiting the outward movement of the slide, a pawl. or dog, L, adapted to engage the shoulder h ofthe slide when pushed in to lock the jaws, and a lexi ble seal bearing a distinguishing mark or device, and having an aperture, g, adapted to hook over the pin or projection q of the jaws, whereby the seal is prevented from being removed from the jaws after the latter are pushed in and IOS locked, all constructed to operate substantially in the manner and for the purpose described. 4. In a seal-lock, the combination, with the casing I, having its upper interior surface, l2, beveled or inclined inward and downward, as described, ofthe slide K, having the lower jaw, p, and theupper j aw, m, the latter having its upper surface inclined inward and downward, and a pawl or dog` adapted to engage and hold the slide when pushed in to lock the jaws, whereby the raising ofthe paw] from the outside by the introduction of a strip of metal over the jaw m is prevented, substantially as set forth.

Vitness my hand this 26th day of June, A. D. 1886.

' DANIEL FEPRIS. In presence of I?. E. TEseHEMAoHnn, lV. J. CAMBRIDGE. 

